As list brokers, we often get asked what the average return-on-investment (ROI) would be on a basic telemarketing list. That is a very ‘loaded’ question to answer that has many variables and factors that can alter results for our clients. Factors that are beyond our control as list brokers would include factors like: how experienced the agents or telemarketers are, how well branded and recognizable the company is to the targets, the time of day of the calls, frequency of the calls, how beneficial the offer is to the targets, and whether or not there were other channels of marketing used to contact these targets before the calls were made. Factors that we can guarantee as list brokers are quality of the data using a deliverability guarantee on the phone numbers, how often the files are updated with new records, how often the phone numbers are verified and how often the names and addresses are scrubbed with the National Change of Address through the USPS, along with being CASS certified. These variables are different for every telemarketing campaign and every different file that we broker.
One thing is for sure, however, and that is that Do Not Call exempt organizations traditional experience higher ROIs since they are able to call households that are on the DNC registry. These households get solicited and called much less often than other households do, which means they are much more willing to answer and receive a phone call and be receptive to the offer or request. This certainly helps the telemarketer, right off the bat.
There is still hope, though, for all of the other businesses out there that want to telemarket their products and that are not exempt from the DNC. There are files that incorporate deliverable cell phone numbers in their consumer household files, that can help boost the ROI compared to other files using 100% landline only phone numbers. This will be the topic of our next upcoming blog.